Out of My Mind
Chapter 1
Summary & Analysis

LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Out of My Mind, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.

Disability and Ability

Language, Communication, and Identity

Acceptance vs. Rejection

Family

Summary

Analysis

Melody begins her story with an ode to language, explaining that all her life she has loved words. Ever since she was a baby and her mother spoke to her and her father sang to her, she’s remembered and treasured every word.

Language is Melody’s primary way of processing the world, which is ironic because she cannot speak. Language connects her to her family, and features in her memories.

Active
Themes

Even though she loves words, Melody feels like they are piling up inside her mind like snowdrifts, because —even though she can read and think deeply—she is unable to speak.

Only after she showcases her language ability to the reader, does Melody reveal the reason she finds language to be so powerful: because she cannot speak. This forces the reader to let go of any initial prejudices they might have had, because they are introduced to Melody’s mind before they understand her body’s disability.